New Dynamo player Garcia arrives to find big fanbase

New Dynamo midfielder Oscar Boniek Garcia is a big star in his native Honduras, and with a large Honduran population here, he knows he'll be expected to produce.

Photo By Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle

Dynamo's new midfielder Oscar Boniek Garcia receives his official jersey from Head Coach Dominic Kinnear at Houston Amateur Sports Park's Methodist Champions Field on Thursday, June 28, 2012, in Houston.

Photo By James Nielsen/Chronicle

Oscar Boniek Garcia, left, made an appearance in Houston during a Gold Cup semifinal at Reliant.

Photo By David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Honduras' Oscar Boniek Garcia loses the ball during the first half of a CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal soccer match against Mexico on Wednesday, June 22, 2011, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Since Oscar Boniek Garcia broke into the Honduran national team as a 20-year-old in 2005, his legions of fans in Houston have followed him closely. The newest Dynamo may have left his beloved and renowned Olimpia in Central America, but he's still somewhat at home.

With an estimated 80,000 Honduran natives in the Bayou City, Houston trails only Los Angeles and Washington in Honduran population in the U.S.

Garcia made a great impression on his new Dynamo teammates Thursday morning in his first practice with the club, and he knows he carries that banner for many of his countrymen living in the Bayou City.

"Because of the Honduran support that's here, there's a responsibility on me to produce," he said. "I have all the desire to prove myself, and I expect the total support from Hondurans."

Garcia hardly had time to settle in Thursday. Las Hamacas Restaurant, which is arguably Houston's top Honduran food chain, held a reception for fans to meet the speedy right wing on Thursday night.

Garcia's signing is yet another thing Arles Solis expects to celebrate on July 15 at the Azteca Fairgrounds during the fifth annual Festival Honduras.

"For us in the Honduran community, we're so proud that the Dynamo made this decision to trust in our player," said Solis, who organizes Festival Honduras. "For us in our community, Boniek Garcia is one of the best players we've had in recent times in Honduras.

"He's a star on the national team. We expect a lot from Boniek Garcia, and we're sure he will do many great things with the Houston Dynamo."

Household name

Asked for his first impression of his new right wing, Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear jokingly said he initially wanted to ask Boniek Garcia when his big brother would arrive.

Slender and baby faced, Garcia, 27, likely will need to show identification if he wants to purchase adult beverages in most parts of Houston for a least a few more years.

In Houston's large Honduran community, however, Garcia is a household name. With almost as many names as championships under his belt, Oscar Boniek Garcia Ramirez arrived in Houston with quite a reputation in the Bayou City's large Honduran community.

If not a legend, Boniek Garcia, as he prefers to be called, definitely is a superstar in Honduran soccer. For that reason alone, he joins the Dynamo with plenty of weight on his shoulders as he fills the right wing void that Kinnear has been trying to upgrade since Brian Mullan was traded to Colorado late in the 2010 season.

"Because of the Honduran support that's here, there's a responsibility on me to produce," he said.Garcia doesn't need an ID to show he belongs on the pitch. It didn't take him long to showcase the talent that helped him lead Honduran club Olimpia to nine titles in eight years (2003-06 and 2007-12) with the club.

Debuts Saturday

"He's got good feet," Geoff Cameron said of his new teammate. "He's quick. He's fast. He's smooth on the ball, so I think he's going to do well. …

"He's calm on the ball. You can't teach that. It just comes natural. I think a guy like that with confidence on the ball, he's smooth. That's one thing when he's under pressure he doesn't get rattled. He's smooth."

Barring an injury or unforeseen problem, Garcia is likely to make his debut for the Dynamo in the starting lineup Saturday night against the Philadelphia Union at BBVA Compass Stadium.

"It was very difficult to leave Olimpia, but I gave them everything in eight years," he said. "I won nine titles, the last two titles I won as a captain. I arrive here happy, and I think they're happy with everything I gave them."